►Read more about bo la lot: http://migrationology.com/2015/04/bo-la-lot-vietnam/
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One of my favorite Vietnamese foods is something called bo la lot (or more formally thịt bò nướng lá lốt). The basic recipe includes minced beef mixed with just a few small spices, sometimes some citrus, then wrapped into wild betel leaves (piper lolot) leaves (which are slightly different from normal betel leaves, piper betle), then grilled over hot charcoal. Bo la lot is then served with Vietnamese rice paper, a selection of herbs and raw vegetables, sauce, and chilies. Everything is wrapped together and consumed. It’s truly one of my favorite things to eat in Vietnam.
On my trip to Saigon, I was searching online and happened to come across Cô Liên Bò Lá Lốt on Foursquare. Since the restaurant was just down the road from where I was staying, I could not miss eating there. Another great thing about this bo la lot restaurant is that they are open for lunch, while many of the street food restaurants that serve bo la lot are only open in th evening for dinner. As we entered the restaurant, I could actually smell the aroma of the grilled leaves, and the owner kindly greeted us as we entered. You’ll recognize Cô Liên Bò Lá Lốt by its huge green sign and the inside is also painted green - is this a tribute to the wild betel piper lolot leaves!? I loved it.
The menu was simple and straightforward, even though I only know the names of a few Vietnamese dishes. My wife and I ordered one plate of bo la lot, a plate of bo mo chai, and finally cha gio, deep fried Vietnamese spring rolls. When we ordered the bo la lot and the mo chai, they were tossed on the grill and cooked for a few more minutes before being delivered to our table in aromatic glory. I could smell the beef and the fragrant herbs, and I couldn’t wait to dig in. The bo la lot was served on a plate, topped with a few scoops of crushed peanuts, and a drizzle of fragrant scallion oil and green onions.
One of the easiest ways to eat Vietnamese bo la lot is to first take a piece of rice paper, then add on a few green leafy vegetables like lettuce, then pile on the bun (rice vermicelli noodles), more herbs like Vietnamese coriander and sweet basil, and then add in a bo la lot, and then finally dress with sauce and chilies. The combination of the ingredients, and the salty and sweet beef sausage with the herbaceous green tasting wild betel leaves, was outstanding. The mo chai, which are like sausage shaped hamburgers, were also very good. They tasted very similar to the bo la lot meat inside, but without the outer leaf wrapper. So overall, I preferred the bo la lot, but both were delicious.
Cô Liên Bò Lá Lốt restaurant is more expensive than eating bo la lot on the street in Saigon, but the bo la lot was pretty good size (bigger than versions I ate on the street), and I think the meat was better quality. For delicious bo la lot in Saigon, Vietnam, check out Cô Liên Bò Lá Lốt.
Address: 321 Võ Văn Tần, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (the restaurant is just a few steps from the southeastern corner of Vo Van Tan and Nguyen Thuong Hien)
Open hours: 10 am – 9:30 pm daily
Price: Our full meal cost 132,000 VND ($6.09), and the owner gave us some free samples of different dishes as well!
Read the full review here: http://migrationology.com/2015/04/bo-la-lot-vietnam/
Saigon food map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zYYci1LPgf6g.k6WC8GLZT7hw
Music in this video courtesy of Audio Network
This video was made by Mark Wiens and Ying Wiens
Website: http://migrationology.com/blog & http://www.eatingthaifood.com/ & http://www.travelbyying.com/
Thank you for watching!

By Mark

13 thoughts on “Bo la lot – grilled beef in piper lolot leaves in saigon”
  1. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars John Chase says:

    Never thought of eating bahn trang without softening it.

    Is that typical?

    Thanks for sharing, Mark!

  2. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tépane you lie says:

    You have to wet the Rice wrap before Rolling it…

  3. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Moonlight Sonata says:

    This is my favorite dish especially the sauce. Thanks for the video Mark. This makes my mouth watering 🤤😋

  4. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Robert Worden says:

    Undoubtedly my very favorite Vietnamese dish!

  5. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars eiidii says:

    Thank you for sharing it's very delicious .very nice

  6. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Crystal Wynn says:

    Well Mark, YT is suddenly including your Vietnamese old videos from years back. I started to follow you way back before this series. I think this is a sign for you to go back to Vietnam again. It’s overdue. lol

  7. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars DepTraiVKL says:

    Should defo dip the rice paper mate, even if its fresh rice paper, provides an even tastier texture

  8. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Tyler Shurley says:

    Put some sauce in the middle of the lettuce wrap with the chilies! 🤦‍♂️ Skip the dip by putting it inside the building of your wrap.

  9. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Iron Cactus says:

    Love the "Mark Wiens Head Dip", sway to the left, sway to the right, do it like Mark and you will do it right!

  10. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Hola! Anas & Alai zahra says:

    don't want to go see when Aidan mom go find yoni good home so fun, dunno so coming so can honestly will pop to call Bill myself so there has not once in is com song too for rooms window end so love em all.

  11. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars Jonas Johnsson says:

    It is much easier if you roll it on your plate instead of up in the air! 😉

  12. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars The World says:

    When I was in 20s I thought Japanese food was the best. All my friends prefer Japanese for special occasions. But as I am older I prefer Vietnamese food much better and flavorful. I rarely go to Japanese restaurants anymore.

  13. Avataaar/Circle Created with python_avatars The World says:

    Having travelled lightly and eaten food here and there, the older you get the less you care about food. So travel while you are still young and enjoy the food and romance. It is less intense and flavorful as you get older. Just a nice Coke and hamburger or tacos or burrito or Pho is good enough for me these days.

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